Ultrasound array transmitters in medical or nondestructive testing (NDT) imaging application have a growing demand for more sophisticated electrical excitation waveforms to generate well-focused, high resolution targeted, coherently formed, high frequency acoustic dynamic scanning beams. The conventional ultrasound transmit pulse generator circuits that can generate two different voltage amplitudes of bidirectional and return-to-zero pulses (such as a 5-level pulser) include at least six high-voltage high current MOSFET transistors in an output stage, such as described below in conjunction with FIG. 1. The cost per transmit channel of such pulsers compared to a 2-level or 3-level pulser increases dramatically.
Therefore, a need exists to provide a device and method to overcome the above problem.